Lhasa, August 25 – The Dalai Lama might return to Tibet but only as a Chinese citizen and he must renounce all notions of Tibetan independence so that negotiations with Beijing could progress, Tibet’s new Governor said.
In his first remarks to foreign journalists since taking office in April, Jampa Phuntsok’s tone seemed mild compared with some previously hard-line statements by Beijing’s representatives.
Nonetheless, he reiterated China’s bottom line that the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism must accept that Tibet is a part of China.
“The sovereignty issue brooks no discussion. It is also inappropriate for the Dalai Lama to discuss human rights,” Jampa Phuntsok said, adding, “We can only discuss the Dalai Lama’s future.”
The Governor also criticized the possibility of the Dalai Lama meeting with US President George W Bush in Washington, saying that “would not benefit his contacts with the central government” in Beijing.
Jampa Phuntsok said two recent visits to China by top advisers of the Dalai Lama had improved understanding between the sides.
But he said it was up to the Dalai Lama to engineer a breakthrough by accepting China’s demands. “Only in this way can he show his true sincerity,” the Governor said, and added, “He can only come back as a Chinese citizen.”
The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and heads what he calls a government-in-exile in the mountain town of Dharmshala.
